


Something New

by kheradihr



Series: Land or Sea, It Means Nothing to Me [my soul is free on this open road] [1]
Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon (Main Video Game Series), Pocket Monsters: Sword & Shield | Pokemon Sword & Shield Versions
Genre: Ace!Piers, Gen, Other, Ranger Trio, Slow Burn, ace idiots, everyone is conspiring on the ace idiots' behalf, fires series adjacent, i mean it's such a slow burn that it's a series, oblivious Kell, oblivious idiots, oblivious piers, well two of the three, what actually happened while Piers was in Alola, why is there no ship tags for nonbinary characters
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-13
Updated: 2020-12-28
Packaged: 2021-03-06 18:33:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 15,354
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26433451
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kheradihr/pseuds/kheradihr
Summary: Events that Piers failed to actually mention to anyone while he was in Alola. Nothing too much, just making a friend, getting ribbed - or maybe threatened - by his friend's twin sister, being an oblivious ace idiot, and of course accomplishing his goal while there.Well, that goal and gaining a very important accessory to a family heirloom. Not that the person accessorizing it knows that. They're just nice like that.They're just friends. It's fine.
Series: Land or Sea, It Means Nothing to Me [my soul is free on this open road] [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1921423
Comments: 5
Kudos: 5





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [notavodkashot](https://archiveofourown.org/users/notavodkashot/gifts).



> A story adjacent to [notavodkashot's](https://archiveofourown.org/users/notavodkashot) series [watch as our fire rages, our hearts are never tame](https://archiveofourown.org/series/1660219). While we are giggling and shipping people, we're writing our stories separately (with scheming shenanigans) so slight interpretation differences and whatnot are completely our own doing.

Humans screaming — not like the children as they slid down Aurora's spine and tail into the water, the aurorus' iridescent fins glowing — woke Kell from the doze they enjoyed on Fleur's back. Their dragalge floated with barely a fin movement, sure sign the ocean would be kind a bit longer for the kids playing, no undertow or rip currents. Their position was just so that both of their heads were safely in the shadow Aurora's bulk. But yeah, adult humans screaming in fear on the beach. Time to work, then.

"Fleur, watch the kids and keep them in the water," they ordered before swimming to shore and jogging up the beach, fingers brushing the styler on their thigh, orange armband on one shoulder and small waterproof sling pack out of years of habit.

The cause of the screaming was a hydreigon chewing on a man's hair. The man was interestingly the only one not screaming. Instead, his arms were crossed and overall resigned to his existence. They approached slowly, crowd parting as they recognized them, hand at the ready to snag their styler and armband on the opposite arm as their key stone band.

"Hey I'm the on duty Ranger," they said, flashing their badge out of habit even though their armband glowed orange on their black rashguard arm. Alola didn't really have full time Rangers because of the presence of the Island Captains and Kahunas but everyone knew about them and their twin being in Alola, which meant they always had work. Kukui was a gossip and Alola was small for a region. Both Kell and their twin already put in requests for other regions Rangers to visit and stay more often. The gaps between visits were too large. "Can I give you a hand with anything?"

The man looked up, a brow rising from the eye not covered in a thick lock of two-toned hair, meanwhile the hydreigon chewed happily on his hair. Shorter than them and cute, their mind cataloged along with everything else to include a niggling sensation that Kell felt they should know who the guy was.

"Yeah, I need directions to Ula'Ula. This one," he nodded to the hydreigon, "got distracted by wiki berries and has been a pest about getting back."

He was so calm about the entire thing they couldn't help but let a slight grin slip. A sensible adult, even if he seemed annoyed about something that wasn't the hydreigon. "Welcome to Melemele. Let me see if I can placate your baby." It had to be his with how tolerant he was of the whole thing. Usually when long hair was involved pokemon tried to keep it out of their mouths, not in, a lesson learned from years of having the same issue. Though equines did seem to like ponyta tails and braids. The hydreigon chewed because it seemed like all of the man's mass was his hair and it couldn't get to a convenient shoulder or elbow. "Then maybe the adults will stop screaming and scaring the kids playing."

"Priorities in order, I see," he deadpanned as they got to work, his dry tone helping cement their grin.

Out of their waterproof sling bag came their blue pokeblock case. The faint scent of wiki berry had the hydreigon turning a head towards them. "You get two each if you let his hair go."

One of the hydreigon's heads sniffed them, one mouth opening to nom on the arm closest to them as they held the 'block case out of reach. They waited as the three brains made a decision with the one mouth mleming and covering their arm with light bite marks and saliva. Slowly the primary head released the punk-goth cutie's hair which was impressively long. He was busy squeezing hydreigon saliva from his hair so Kell cooed and petted the hydreigon.

"Here you go, precious. Two each as promised," they promised tossing two 'blocks on each tongue, mindful of the teeth. They were quickly eaten before they got headbutted playfully and a mouth on their shoulder. That head got a one armed hug. "Nope. You need to behave to get treats. Good hydreigon gets treats and your trainer needs to get home. Understood?" Still happy and being chewed on, they tossed their 'block case at him. Punk-goth cutie caught it and stared at them like they also had three heads. Or maybe because a quick tickle under the chin had their shoulder free without protest. "Bribes for your rowdy baby. Ula'Ula is going to be the second island to the east. You'll know it by the fuck-off big mountain. If it's behind you, you've gone too far."

"Thanks. See ya 'round, Ranger." Mounting the hydreigon he grinned at them before they took off, circled once and headed east. They whistled lowly, impressed. Very few had Ride restrictions waived. They and Neri being part of that few and hell did the paperwork take forever. It had been a fight just to get Nanu to send the paperwork over, the two Rangers decided to forge their 'uncle's' signature rather than have another call where they all just stared at each other for too damn long.

"Who was that?" their twin Neri demanded coming in fast from Kukui's place. With them both finished with the first part of the Island Challenge, she just returned from meeting with the island's Kahuna about potential work and wanted to nap. But again, adults screaming on a beach and Rangers in earshot. At this point, it was ingrained into them enough they responded no matter the hour or activity engaged in.

"A punk-goth snack with one hell of a dragon," they answered, feeling a little stunned from his smile.

"What?!" 

* * *

"Excuse me, Trainer. I'm going to have to issue you a fine."

Piers bristled and rounded on the official sounding git who interrupted a nice, quiet, hydreigon shenanigan absent day in the jewelry markets of Akala Island only to find that Ranger from before looking at him, lips slightly tucked in in a barely there smirk. He still had their candy case in his pocket. "Okay, I'll bite. What's it for."

"I can't feed your difficult dragon wiki berries. I spent days picking them and now they'll go to waste. Days, trainer," they emphasized straight-faced, deadpan utterly serious. He was pretty sure they were fucking with him since he only saw a small, brightly patterned sling pack hanging from one shoulder.

"Don't they call that abuse of power?"

Ranger shrugged, more of that smirk going strangely recognizably lopsided. "No formal Ranger Association here and the head LEO here gives zero shits. So bribe me with why you're in the jewelry market on Akala instead and maybe I'll let it go."

"Exactly that, looking for jewelry. Just about as good as back home." He tilted his sunglasses down to look up at them and away from the stones and jewelry calling his name. "Shouldn't you be, I dunno, kicking Team Skull grunt asses or something?"

"I'm off ass kicking duty for the next six hours at least." Another shrug, their shirt falling off a shoulder baring a tank in electric yellow, no insignia in sight, as they shoved fists into worn shorts with pink speckling on them. He knew that badge had to be somewhere even if the armband he remembered from before was missing. They had another cuff on their left arm but he couldn't see more than the bottom edge from under the sleeve. "Are you buying any of the jewelry?"

"Yeah, thinking about it." He fingered a few rings that caught his eye. Maybe even one for Marnie. Or earrings since she got another set of holes done before he came back to mock Raihan for that pond.

"For a boyfriend? Girlfriend? Themfriend?"

"The fuck is a themfriend." He looked over to see them sifting through white stone earrings. He recognized most of them but that was what happened when you came from a mining town. You knew gemstones.

"Like a boyfriend or girlfriend but nonbinary." They hadn't looked up, seemingly expressionless face shifting to a focused frown as they examined pieces.

"I'm ace," he told them, selecting a set of chandelier earrings made of clusters of tumbled pearls of howlite and offering them for inspection. They seemed to like them enough that they paid for them, a small smile and nod of thanks to the merchant.

"That has nothing to do with—"

Their words cut off as their eyes were drawn to an unmounted star ruby the size of their thumb at the next stall. Picking it up they examined it, a small smile on their face. The merchant was clearly trying to get a sale but Piers knew they weren't listening, not with that muted look of fondness but no interest. He stared long and hard until the merchant turned to another customer and he watched them admire the stone, even checking for flaws. They had been interesting between handling hydreigon and taking his barbs in stride. Now this. Curiosity got the best of him.

"Like rubies?"

They barely startled like they forgot he was there watching them. Blushing slightly, they set it down, thanking the merchant before stepping around him and onto a nearby stall that sold other stones, fingers dancing over the yellow ones. He decided to follow them, curious about what they were exactly looking for sifting through the jewelry and raw stones. Besides, they hadn't answered his question. That was a high quality star ruby and they handled it like they knew exactly how nice it was.

Seeing that he followed them, they shrugged, shirt riding the cant of their shoulders to bare the other one. "Not in particular. My dad got a star ruby from here, not magenta-red like that one but that purply-red of a freshly removed heart. Had it mounted on a titanium chain and proposed to my mother with it. Said he gave her his heart so he knew it'd always be safe when he went out on patrol." They shrugged. "I know, it's corny as fuck but it's all I can think of when I see one now."

He wasn't even going to touch how they knew the exact color of a heart recently removed from a body. He knew what Raihan looked like after an exceptionally messy feeding day with the dragons. He knew how happy Paul looked eating the guts first out of a bunnelby before whining for the ears to be dried for later, muzzle covered in blood. They were a Ranger, they probably knew plenty of gristly things. Instead he mimicked their posture and shrugged. "Parents are generally the reason for that. The earrings weren't enough?"

They laughed slightly and waved a hand in front of their face like the suggestion was ridiculous. "Oh, those weren't for me. I'm shopping for family. I wanted to find something for myself but nothing feels right. I'll just look for presents." 

Most people pick stones because they're pretty or they liked the color. Rarely did they take the time to see if the stone was right for them. It was why it annoyed him when people expected only diamonds and other precious gemstones in the shops of Spikemuth. Semiprecious stones had equal importance all the way down to the softer and ubiquitous stones you'd trip on there were so many. Most jewelry makers made their bread and butter through the semiprecious stones rather than the flashier precious gemstones. He looked around and remembered a few stalls down and just grabbed their wrist and dragged them along, determined to find something for them. After all, they called hydreigon 'baby' and let him chew on them utterly unafraid of that wanker's temper before and after bribing him. By the time they got to the stall he wanted he knew through a battery of questions their jewelry preferences which leaned towards semiprecious stones in fashions that didn't get in the way of their job, much like the small beaded bracelets on both wrists, low profile rings, even the anklet that could easily be ignored when their feet were in boots rather than other shoes. They loved earrings, had four holes in each ear, and wore studs or small hoops because then they didn't have to change their earrings between work shifts. Rings lived on a chain when on shift.

"Back again?" the merchant sounded bemused as he hauled the Ranger in behind him. He wanted to hate their lanky legs keeping up with him despite him pulling them hard through the maze of stalls like he was back home in Spikemuth; then again after years of being Raihan's friend their size was actually manageable. Though, it would be some time before the Gym Trainers figured out how to put a maze in their much smaller town.

"Yeah. I think I found homes for a few of your rings."

By the time Piers was done with the Ranger, they had a small chip of sphene cut like a star for their left tragus piercing, a few new bracelets and anklets — cat's eye, agate, howlite, jasper in many colors as possible — as well as a yellow aventurine ring and a blue moonstone ring. With all of them they examined them and nodded the same way as when he offered the howlite earrings. They smiled when he offered the howlite side by side on a waxed string rather than the braided and knotted jewelry, like he knew the secret of the earrings. He didn't but he did know that smile was about as much of a secret as his own.

"It matches your eyes," he explained as they looked at him bewildered as he paid for the moonstone one and pressed it into their hand. "It's a thank you for that day at the beach. Not a lot of people handle dragon types so calmly." Let alone his particular hydreigon. From what he knew they were unseen on the main islands of Alola, only deino were spotted on Tuesdays on Melemele

That got them chuckling again, eyes crinkling in genuine amusement, as they rearranged the rings on their fingers to stack both stone rings on their right middle finger. "Can't say I haven't had hands on experience with most pokemon types. My first pokemon was a skrelp that knew dragon breath. My mom has a friend who's a dragon trainer. My best friend is Dragon People. Once you earn their trust, dragons are just big babies who want love too. How can I say no to that?"

Huh. He stopped and watched them secure the purchases that weren't gifts on their person. He may have found the one actually worthwhile person to know in the whole region. "How does lunch sound?"

Their eyes went sharp and their long green hair shifted with their movements, like how a liepard's tail lowered and wiggled just before pouncing. "With you? Amazing."

"I'm _ace_." He wagged fingers decorated with the three rings he bought just for himself. He knew that look and he didn't want to deal with someone trying to get in his pants while he ate. It always put a bad taste in his mouth.

"Same hat or should I say, _same hair_ ," quirking a smug smirk at him.

Of fucking course they punned. But they were ace too so there was no harm in having lunch. "For that you're paying for lunch."

"Wouldn't want it any other way, sunshine."

They never really stopped running into each other all over Alola. In two weeks Piers had eaten with them a number of times and learned they had been to pretty much every region in the world including Fiore. They were thirty-one which had him calling them a liepard asking him out so often at his age. Of course then they sniped back if it was too hot in the kitchen he needed to get the fuck out. He demanded to know if they were the dishwasher or fridge since he hadn't noticed the so called heat. They ordered wine at lunch and rolled their eyes before detailing exactly what he was missing _not_ drinking wine at lunch. He realized during lunch number three they were right, not like he was going to tell them as they managed to kill a bottle every lunch between the two of them even if they didn't need any help. They argued without heat over the bill and it was a game to see who could get the bill paid first. He had the money and his hair was scarier than theirs because when they both pressed their cards at wait staff they took his. Then he could be smug until they demanded dessert and always managed to pay for that. "Come on, sunshine, we should have a glass with dessert," they'd say, an arm hooking into his as they dragged him to tiny places that always had something that satisfied his sweet tooth.

He was always a little disappointed when they called out their pidgeot and said they had to leave. Whatever they were doing on the islands kept them busy and it wasn't just the Island Challenges even though he recognized the tag that hung off their phone. Occasionally he'd see them working, helping out at the massive Paniola farm, even teaching children how to swim with sharpedo since the pokemon was used in the Ride program. Any time they saw him, he at least got a wave and at most them stealing a beach shack to rinse down, change and bicker idly with him until they found somewhere to eat, all the while calling him sunshine. He never caught their name so he simply referred to them as Ranger Liepard in his head. It was funny and he could always see their flat eyed stare as they stone faced dropped puns before their face opened in unrestrained laughter at his own horror when he caught the puns. Meeting up with them was a bright spot in his days even if he had to put up with his father and Nanu until the Battle Tree opened up again.

* * *

It was a great battle. Really fun, but then the entire Island Challenge was much more fun than the usual League nonsense. As Neri accepted the crystal she held _Musician Piers'_ handshake long enough to quickly say, "My twin has been a fan since someone recorded you working on a song at sixteen and uploaded it on a Flashfire fansite for indie music and has never stopped tracking your music." Then she let go and walked out the door to tag off with Kell. Who was about to...aw, hell.

Outside on the low wall Nanu offered her a lukewarm beer. "Want it, Seagrass?"

Neri took it and sat next to him, an ear already turned to the shamble of a police station. "I'm not Kell and you know it."

"Seaweed, I'm old, not blind." Offering her a beer, this one cold. "Seagrass wouldn't drink theirs."

"Good, two beers before I die. I'm blessed."

Her mournful tone actually caught Nanu's attention enough that he turned to look at her. "Nerideth. What did you do."

"Yes, what _did_ you do?" A second voice asked and she eyed the person in black and white that had apparently been sitting on the other side of Nanu the entire time.

"I shared some personal—" she winced at the burst of light that meant Kell opened with Shie in his mega form rather than saving him for the end "—information about my sibling to your _substitute_ Kahuna. Nanu, you utter lazy fuck. You didn't even tell us you were the Arceus-damn Kahuna of Ula'Ula! Did Ren know?"

She hadn't expected a response from Nanu beyond his lazy shrug which made her like Black-and-White as they chuckled at her swearing at him until they asked, "What sort of information?

"None of your Arceus-damn business." Smiling cheerfully enough that Nanu leaned forward to not end up in the crossfire. She was the eldest. She wasn't going to tell strangers her sibling's secrets. She caused her twin trouble but would be damned if anyone else did that to Kell beyond Ren. But Ren was a saint. An angry saint but saint nonetheless. "Exactly who are you?

Black-and-White smiled back and Nanu got up and out of their way, eyes towards the police station. "The substitute Kahuna's mother. My hips were never the same after giving birth to him."

"Nice to meet you. Good kid, great trainer," she said absently, watching Nanu seriously frown at whatever was happening in there. "It was a mistake to make that an arena," she told Nanu flatly.

"If they flatten it I will personally hug them both."

His words coupled with that smile he cracked had Neri worried enough she found herself counting the cobblestones that make up the street in her view. Piers' mother was saying something but she wasn't listening, ears tuned to the sounds of battle. The beer was nice, the second one actually cold. She liked beer. She also liked the simple fact no windows had shattered since the battle began. Despite Nanu's concern it was obvious Kell was holding something back which meant once the battle ended Neri had to move and fast. Kell rarely got angry but when they did it was a short, vicious squall, temper condensed so it hit hard and passed quickly. What she just did meant she was on storm watch, even if the storm mostly looked like her. On the open sea the compass was more important than a clock so she watched hers since she drank her beers too fast. It pointed north unerringly while the second compass — custom made, both hers and Kell's — pointed to their own lodestone.

She only knew it was time to hurry when Nanu made a noise and slouched his way to the doors just as the two recalled their pokemon, Piers' fainted. There was a fucking mic stand standing next to him. Oh for fuck's sake what did she unleash?

She didn't wait for post battle talk, let alone the handshake. Hooking an arm around Kell's waist released the tirade of curses and obscenities directed at both Neri and no one in particular in their home language. Hoisting them onto her hip she saluted and while running, shouted at Piers or maybe Nanu.

"Thanks for the battle! Just deliver the crystal to the docks, Pier Two! You'll know her!" Black-and-White looked impressed as she made off with her sibling. Just because they were tall and slender didn't mean there wasn't muscle under Alolan suntanned skin. They were a two-person crew on a large blue water sailboat. Even with Starstone helping, it was a lot of work long before they did any of their Ranger duties. "Nice to meet you, Piers' mom!"

Then there was yelling and swearing that wasn't just Kell and Neri felt better. At least she wasn't going to be the only one murdered today.

Two-thirds of the way home Kell's temper finally burned itself out and Neri simply let them go to catch themself before kneeling on the sidewalk. True she had started this incident but it usually ended in her being beaned by Kell's pachirisu Ecureuil who nuzzled her so much she ended shocking herself for a time proportional to how much trouble she was in. Kell losing their temper upon meeting someone they were a fan of despite the second- and third-hand recordings over the years? Things didn't add up and even if she was an exhausting and trying sister at times, she was a damn good Ranger and loved her sibling more than anything. So she squatted down and flipped hair out of their sibling's face to find burning red ears.

"Okay. You gotta help me out. You always said you'd love to hear him live. You literally sulk for days and watch the rotom phone recording of one of his concerts that you ripped from RotoTube because they're all in Galar." The only answer was a pained noise. Then a detail different from when she and he battled stood out in her mind. Hell, she noticed it the moment she reentered the station. "Where did he get that mic stand? It wasn't there when I battled him."

Kell made another noise that sounded like a grimer choking so Neri decided to be a good sister and pull them upright and get them the rest of the way home. At least that was her plan until Kell pulled towards the Pokemon Center to heal their teams despite having their own machine on the boat. At the juice stand Neri waited for Kell to destroy two pinap juices before they scrubbed their face and slapped it twice. It was a sign that they were putting themself back together from the jumble of emotions she pulled literally kicking and screaming from the station. Neri wanted to sucker punch Nanu. Really, getting someone else's kid to do his job? That was why their mother gave them specific orders to do nothing beyond the three month informal favor for him. No direct requests, especially if it meant him not doing whatever job he had picked up in Alola. 'Just take a look around and see if it feels okay,' were his literal words in the request they got. It had been a good excuse though. After Nanu's surprises when they were younger and Ren gushing about Alola they had wanted a reason to go.

"He's the snack," they admitted, so strained and quiet Neri almost had to slap down the hands pressed to their mouth.

Neri stared at the blue stone ring on their right middle finger that Kell had said was from 'the snack' for a moment as those words sank in before choking on her smoothie. "You mean the guy you've had dinner with three times and lunch how many times—"

"Five."

Oh Xerneas preserve us. No wonder Kell was having opinions about wine imported to Alola. It wasn't like their ship lacked its own wine fridge. And beer fridge. And a cabinet for everything that didn't need to be chilled. Kell always had opinions about wine with lunch but it made so much more sense now. Lunches weren't just their usual sack lunch and poffins. They were dates at restaurants that offered wine with lunch as if they were in Kalos or the right cafe in Unova. "The one you call the 'punk-goth snack' is the one musician you've followed long before his career even started."

"He was waiting for me and _smiling_ like I was the best thing he'd seen all day. Said he was happy to meet a fan and how we should get the show started. He sang to- _at_ me." Their jaw jutted outward, a sure sign they were trying to not clench their teeth since they were in public and couldn't technically go running into Ula'Ula's wilder places to calm down. They didn't even have headphones on them to lose themself in music. Then again, that music involved his composition and voice. She had really fucked up this one and now one of the few things that made Kell happy— 

Oh no, she was not going to have Kell upset in a whole new and worse way here. She immediately paid and directed them out of the Center, back on track to home. At least on the Starstone they would have Lode and they could loose their teams. Ella gave the best hugs; she had wanted to evolve early to be the hugger when Kell got sad rather than the other way around and Lode would stay close until Kell truly calmed, flattening them in their coils if necessary even if they barely fit below decks. If that didn't work, after they finished the agreed upon punishment for exploding in public — because that was 'inappropriate behavior for Rangers, especially mobile ones,' her mother told them both, but eyeing Neri specifically — she was just going to shove Kell into the sea and let them swim it off. It wasn't like Atlantis and Fleur wouldn't keep them company.

"I got so embarrassed and h-he started with one of my favorite songs, pretty much his oldest song ever, I just wanted the battle to end." Kell explained as they walked home, arm in arm. Neri leaned into them and bussed their shoulder in apology.

"I told him you were a fan, that's it; I had no idea he would do that. Sorry, Kell."

Of course then her sibling elbowed her, hard enough to jostle when she was rarely apologetic. That was a good sign. "Hey, at least I know his name," they pointed out dryly, tugging her close by their linked arms. "Can't keep calling him 'the snack.'"

It was Neri's turn to shove her sibling playfully. "He is a snack. I can't believe it. You met your favorite musician of all time and that's all you can say? I was thinking of helping you in apology but you extra have to scrub the deck now. You should be way happier now the shock and outrage wore off."

Kell's laughter rang out before they kissed their sister's cheek.

Nerideth had been right. The sailboat was impossible to miss, considering it took up most of the pier. Piers watched from a distance as pokemon moved across the deck and one figure worked between the movements of the pokemon. He lit a cigarette and remembered Nanu's heavy hand on his shoulder that stopped his own anger towards his father for having the gall to claim _that_.

"When you deliver the darkinium-z, be sure to invite them both to dinner. Their mother will murder me otherwise."

Then Nanu actually left, taking his dad with him to presumably make dinner. It had Piers chewing on the filter of his cigarette. So Ranger Liepard not only had a name but a sister. Both were good trainers, though from the times he ran into Ranger Liepard he knew both twins' passion was more for being in nature not battling. Though Ranger Li-Kellihr had held back a lot less than Nerideth. It had been a while since a battle had him excited, let alone knowing the person he actually looked forward to running into in Alola loved his music. That had him pulling his own Nasty Plot and the full blush was worth losing three of his pokemon to the mega evolved gardevoir which was a sight in and of itself. Putting out his cigarette, he might as well finish his Kahuna duties.

The figure working was none other than Kellihr, changed from street clothes to a bikini top and obnoxiously bright trunks. They were scrubbing the deck, their trevenant pushing the bucket along for them, a lumbering shadow they clearly didn't mind. What was surprising was they hadn't noticed him. But with those quality headphones it made sense. He didn't have to wonder what they were listening to because they sang his songs in a strong voice as they turned the hard work into fun by dancing along to what they sang. They had good rhythm, he noticed watching their body move. Different from the mosh pits he was used to at the front of his concerts, he realized as they used the brush as a dance partner and not a mic stand. A black and green pokemon noticed him from its watchpoint on top of the cockpit, sniffing the air and then rested its head down. No one on board seemed to mind him standing at the gangway so he smoked two more cigarettes while he waited. Eventually Kellihr turned to scrub the gangway and seeing his feet froze and looked up with the same wide-eyed horror when they first saw him inside the police station. After a moment where he could literally see them screaming internally from simply looking into their eyes, they blinked away the stantler-in-headlights look and pulled the headphones off.

"Hey. Can I help you with something?" Once again they were the person he met jogging up to him expecting to subdue his hydreigon and instead made friends with him, but he now saw the other side to scratching persian bellies and letting children slide down their aurorus' tail into the ocean. Not a single dark pokemon — though he was curious about their Alolan marowak — and yet he knew they understood resilience. Saw how their chin set as they demolished his team in that stubborn line he knew from arguing over tabs and listening to idiot Team Skull members try to talk their way out of being literally hauled in.

"More like how can I help _you_."

Their ears pinked behind their long hair, but they leaned on the handle of the stiff bristle brush, waiting for him to elaborate. The yellow and blue rings glinted in the sunlight along with some others. He smiled back in return, not the one he offered them during the battle but the small one he gave them over dinner and during their adamant opinions of wine at lunch, hands in his pockets of the same trunks he battled in. Neither moving, nor speaking. Strange how one simple fact could change how someone behaved except this time the person in question was keeping their distance rather than most fans who crowded in to gush about his music or demand autographs. Even his crack about autographs after the show just got a shaky, near hysterical laugh from them as their hand danced from one great ball to another which ended up being literally eye opening. Both the dragalge and lapras surfaced from beneath the sailboat and after seeing him, sank down into the ocean. The strange black and green pokemon barked and it had Kell checking their watch.

"Sorry, the staring match will have to wait. If I don't get this done before dinner I don't eat."

He waited until they bent to begin scrubbing before flicking the darkinium-z at their head. They caught it without looking, head tipping up with one brow raised. He tossed his head in the general direction of Nanu's place. "Dinner is at Nanu's. He said your mother would kill him if he didn't feed you two."

That got him hearing the first snorting laugh out of them since catching them attentively listening to a bunch of corsola from their dragalge a couple days ago. He still didn't know what the corsola wanted, cornering them like that but it had them amused enough to break their default expression. "Sure. Don't want Maman upset. I'll just grab a shirt and my sister."

It was his turn to snort. "We're in Alola. Shirts are optional."

They looked at him and shook their head. "Not when it's a Maman-mandated dinner. Tell Nanu we'll bring beer."

Kellihr's shirt for dinner was pink and yellow to clash with the purple and green trunks and not even buttoned, showing they had literally just put a shirt and shoes on. Nanu snorted as he accepted the four six packs the twins brought in. Both of the twins wore shirts — Nerideth wore shorts too, which was a feat by Nanu's grumbling. "You two had to behave."

"At a maman-mandated dinner, of course," Nerideth sang sweetly which just had him crack a smile and made a gesture that was offensive and pointed enough to get the twins to set the table, both of them jostling the other and sniping at the other as if his dad and him weren't watching a little dumbfounded. Nanu mentioned their mother like a casual acquaintance but they acted like he was the strange uncle no one spoke about at a family gathering.

It turned out the twins were originally from Kalos and had been on the 'road' since they turned eighteen and began their careers as Rangers. "We take on the region's gyms so we better understand the people, not only the pokemon and land. It also gives us more leverage because it shows we respect something that they hold important. Alola takes that even further with their totem pokemon and Trial Captains before challenging the Kahuna. I like it better than the League," Kellihr explained when Grimsley asked how hopping regions worked for them.

Nerideth snickered, howlite chandelier earrings dancing with the movement. Seeing them dangling from her ears during the Kahuna battle should have been a sign but he didn't put anything together until now when he watched the two together. "Though it is satisfying to turn down the Elite Four and Champion. There isn't a point in battling them since their focus is to test ambitious Champion hopefuls. We don't need that. Our job is to protect the land, pokemon, and their connection to humans."

Kellihr knocked beers with their sister and laughed, leaning on her in easy companionship. "But really, fuck the Elite Four and their Champion. We're already champions. We champion pokemon."

Piers realized he liked them even more before the sight of Grimsely's twitch of his brow, the only sign his seemingly careless attitude had been jostled enough for him to emote. It had Piers leaning in from his seat across from Kellihr, pointing a fork at the two of them, the words coming out of his mouth those of a Gym Leader during Challenge season. "That makes a lot of sense after battling you two. Nerideth you held back, not giving it your all but it wasn't your priority to make a statement but to earn the Kahuna's stamp. Now, Kellihr," his teeth bared in a hungry smile and by their eyes it probably looked something like Paul's. "You went all out from the second the battle started. It was gutsy to start with a pokemon with an inherent type weakness and strength to my prefered type. Not even Nerideth mega evolved, but you...that was reckless but the gamble paid off. Your team was fast and your aurorus—"

"—Aurora."

"Aurora. Aurora was terrifying in the best way. You literally flattened my team despite...everything...because you didn't want to be in battle, you wanted to be out there." His fork moved to stab at the open window where the sun was finally setting, twilight slipping in to put the island in shadow.

Then they finally smiled at him — they had been natural with everyone since they arrived and he could tell the difference after seeing them outside of the arena before — and it felt like their strange relationship that had been building cemented into something different. Something that felt like late nights under the stars with Raihan, humoring him because someone had to since he was determined to be miserable and pining. "Yeah. Give me the outdoors and good music. It's where I'm best."

He realized he could give them both especially since he never sang when others were around, just pokemon. They were the first person who he sang for since coming to the islands. He was on Alola for one thing and it wasn't getting chased down for autographs. The internet was a scary thing he learned thanks to Raihan.

"Who did you two bring?" Nanu asked, seemingly out of nowhere once dinner was over.

"Well, Iris and Hermes are on the roof because they were pissed that we told them to stay at the Starstone during the challenge."

"Neri brought Fulgura since I brought Mai."

"That's because your pokemon are mostly too big."

"Go fuck yourself, Neri."

Then it devolved into name calling and bickering without heat because it was just how they talked. It made him think of his and Kellihr's own conversations though it was more dry sarcasm than swearing.

"Then let's let your babies wander." Nanu interrupted, face twisted because he said 'babies.' Piers did not laugh but those two were well deserved revenge after Nanu making him handle Island Challengers since he arrived. He was here for Morgana, among other things, not working with shitty food as his payment because apparently Nanu could and would only cook for those two and the plethora of persians that gathered around the house and station. At least he didn't cook for his dad. It was these small vindications that had him smiling under his hair at them even as he lingered back to get his guitar.

As everyone headed out to the backyard to keep drinking and loose pokemon into the yard, Neri — she and Kell made a point to emphasize using their nicknames amidst conversation — caught Piers. "Can you stop messing with Kell. They respect you and between what you pulled in their battle and you breaking it down and praising them for kicking your ass, you're just punching bruises."

He didn't quite understand. They got along great. On top of that, they were a fan and not one of those just chasing after mainstream stardom. Still, he bristled in reflex to the threat in her voice. "Excuse me? You think I'm fuckin' with 'em?"

"You're not?" She doubted him and it had him relaxing and genuinely laughing.

Reaching for his guitar, he looked up into her eyes. "I might have played dirty giving them a private concert during the battle but I meant what I said, I like meeting my fans, especially someone who has followed me as long as they have. They were okay in my books before today." He realized belatedly he just admitted to knowing Kell before that utterly metal battle but she had to have known if she knew about what he pulled during the battle. They had dinner out a number of times and the twins were close, tightly knit in ways most people wouldn't expect in siblings.

"And now?" Her amber eyes were hard enough he expected to find fossils in them. He got it; he was the same with Marnie. Except now Marnie was a Gym Leader in her own right and had Gloria and her team of poisonous murder looking out for her. He was damn near obsolete in his own home. Yet Marnie still went to him for some things first. 

"Now they're fuckin' aces."

Her face softened to wry and her eyes held the same sparkle as when she told him Kell's secret. "I would tell you to tell them that, but they may go catatonic. I can't sail the Starstone by myself."

Except he wanted to tell them that because after all the compliments and flirtations they heaped upon him as easy as breathing, this one would trump them all, putting him on equal footing. Gaping like a magikarp and blushing was a good look for them, he recently learned. "You're a selfish bitch," he groused.

She bared her teeth much like the luxray that belonged to her rolling around with Nanu's persian outside. "I'm their sister and you're kinda a bitch too so don't even."

Okay, so Neri wasn't half bad either. Even if neither of them had dark types. Ghosts almost made up for it. Almost.

"Seaweed, bring the bucket of beers. Should have brought your froslass. She could have kept them cold. Mai is damn useless." Nanu lifted his chin at the Alolan Marowak stretching after Kell released her from her ball. Kell themself sprawled on the back porch and chuckled when Mai threw her bone at Nanu with unerring accuracy.

Despite flipping Nanu off, Neri brought out the bucket full of chilled beers before whistling and a shiny talonflame perched on one shoulder, tugging on the braid hidden in her hair. "Iris? Please ask Shirayuki to join us. Star and Stone as well since we're bringing extras."

"Ecureuil aussi?" Kell asked from the porch where Piers had sat next to them, the neck of his guitar reaching across their lap. They sounded small and hopeful even though he had no idea what they asked for, just that he was amused that by Neri's smile she was going to fill the yard with pokemon just for Kell's happiness, damn anyone else's opinion.

"Ouais, ouais, mon cher. Hermes?" A second shiny talonflame landed on the other shoulder and tugged the other braid. Damn, two shinies. "Ecureuil and Plushie as well, please." The two talonflames lifted off and sped in the direction of their boat. Piers watched her find a seat in one of the lawn chairs with a beer, kicking Nanu's ankle along the way.

"So you two and Nanu seem close," he observed casually, lighting a cigarette and seeing how Kell stared at the cherry and not him, offered them one. Neri vaped across the yard, blowing smoke rings for the odd rattata that always found its way into the yard to leap through. They lit up and blew it out in a stream of smoke like Leon's charizard.

"Maman is the head Ranger for Kalos. She's friends with most head LEO's as well as Professors, the GLs, E4, and other regions' Head Rangers. Even international police. Politics is in her blood even if she bitches about paperwork when Papa gets to go on patrol. Nanu was the strange uncle who randomly visited until he 'retired' here. Not the only one, just the strangest."

The entire time they talked he worked through chord progression like he always did when warming up and wondered if they would be as charmed as the flocks of noivern when he finally sang since the first time just enraged them. He didn't take it personally; he had literally ambushed them. Without warning they scooted back and scrambled upright, clearly not wanting to knock into his guitar or disturb his playing, catching one black and green canine pokemon while the other leapt on Neri's lap, both of them appearing as if from the shadows themselves. It licked their face in greeting before they put it down and snapped fingers and gestured towards him, the howlite string picked out weeks ago wrapped around their wrist multiple times. The canine pokemon sniffed Piers' hands then gave him one enthusiastic lick up his cheek before curling up on Kell's feet since they sat back down during the introduction.

Ecureuil ended up being a sassy pachirisu that looked at Piers with blatant distrust before hiding under the curtain of Kell's hair, swept to one side so it didn't get tangled in the frets and his hands. He didn't take it personally since that tiny thing was whipped out specifically to OHKO his malamar and saw his human upset because of him. Plushie was Neri's Whimsicott who happily let her use him as a pillow as she and his dad good-naturedly bitched at each other to Nanu's obvious discomfort. A froslass — Shirayuki; for Arceus sake they named all their pokemon? — kept the beers cold, even switching out empty beers for full beers with a shift of shadows and a light chuckle behind her sleeves each time someone noticed. He played music and Kell hummed and then, surprisingly, sang along, voice low to match the lazy warm night. One song, the green-and-black dogs howled along. During one of their breaks, Piers unthinkingly handed over _his_ cigarette when they put out their hand for one, and he had to be drunk to do that, no they were _both_ drunk because when they reflexively took a long drag he watched how the cherry lit up their face before they returned it like it was nothing while he felt it was important they got that hit of nicotine before him. One of their feet stuck out to pet Star and Paul without having to reach. He didn't even remember when names had been exchanged but nonetheless he knew who Star and Stone were and could tell the difference between the two. Kell even kissed Paul's nose upon meeting him properly and called him a 'handsome boy.' At their pace, they would charm his pokemon with smiles and affection in no time. He would have a steeper hill to climb with some of theirs since he never met their team officially until today.

"So. You're really Spikemuth's Piers?"

He hadn't expected to have Kell's grey-blue gaze on him, amused and indulgent since Paul had joined Star curling at their feet. More like Paul curling around Star and both sets of their feet. He was suddenly facing Ranger Liepard and despite the joke name he felt like he was for once stalked by one. A liepard, not a Ranger. He decided to answer them by singing his earliest songs just to watch them smile soft and lazy, his cigarette magically between their lips and their calf flexing against his as their foot tapped tempo.

Hours later after easy guitar music, plenty of beer, and constant conversation as if no one else was around, Kell was out cold leaning against the house with Piers leaning half on them, head tipped back on their shoulder, asleep. The combination of their trunks and Kell's shirt made them a riot of clashing patterns and copious hair. Grimsley got the guitar free and safely stowed inside while Nanu and Neri made mischief. First getting Kell and Piers' rotom phones to exchange contact information, then they both took pictures of them sleeping deeply together with their own phones. Not long after, Neri got a text from Nanu to her and her parents wondering how they felt about a winter wedding. Attached was three pictures of the two, one far enough back to show Star and Paul at their feet.

Naturally, her mother replied shortly with, "As long as you don't expect grandchildren, I'll pencil it into the upcoming winters after this one."


	2. Chapter 2

Piers stared at his phone, late the next day, not necessarily hungover but a specific brittleness that was one step away. He didn't have many contacts and it was easy to notice that there was a new one: Kell(ihr) with a profile photo that looked like a candid cropped to focus on their grinning face. Beyond the number other notes further down to include their email, a locked 'gram account that he was already following — they exchanged 'grams dinner number two during a shopping trip in Akala's night market and never checked their profile since Raihan's usually filled his feed until Marnie's and Kell's were drowned out — and what he assumed was the twins' official Ranger-sanctioned 'gram. Technically, there were two new contacts but this one was the one that he actually cared about. Frowning, he hit the voice call and it rang four times before the phone picked up. It was about the amount of time it took for a rotom phone to get to their human when in different rooms.

"Hello?"

He knew that voice. Though he had never heard it so disbelieving. "Kell. It's Piers."

"Ah, yeah my phone said so. Is everything okay?"

He knew the tone except he originally heard it couched in Ranger professionalism. Now they sounded like they were about to drop everything to help him with the reason for the call simply  _ because _ . Like Rai— no. He wasn't going to do this; in a few weeks neither of them would be here.

"Yeah, just checkin' that the number was actually yours."

"It's mine." He could hear their brows shifting in that way that they were pointing out the obvious. Laughter in the background cut off with a yelp and muted swearing. He didn't like to call unless he had to and there was an audience. He hunched into his shoulders.

"Okay. Talk to you later."

"Wait." There were more noises like they were extricating themselves from something. Then their voice was closer, no longer on speakerphone but in their hand, phone pressed to their face. "Thanks for calling, Piers. It's good to hear you."

"Yeah, no problem. See ya 'round, Kell." He hung up, not expecting that warmth, like they ran into each other. Or the words since they talked often enough and they had his entire discography. They could hear him any time they wanted.

Later a text arrived from Kell reading, "We know how Nanu can get. Your dad too by how yesterday went. You're welcome to crash at the Starstone as long as we're in the same port." Included was a way to access Kell's GPS ping so he could in theory be on any island they were to take advantage of the offer. That sort of loophole thinking had him smiling. When his father walked in on him Paul, draped on his lap like he was a zigzagoon began to lick him, hiding his phone and him before Grimsely could pry.

* * *

He had a case of beer, his guitar, and duffel when he came up to the gangway of the Starstone only to find Neri putting a backpack on the gangway and tying a white handkerchief to the railing. She smiled and waved and Piers, barely knowing her a couple of days — it had always been Kell he hung out with for weeks and while he knew they had family, they always had enough to talk about to not go into specifics about either of their families — knew this was distinctly a trap. Specifically for Kell but he triggered it so now he had to get himself out of it.

Fuck.

It was the strangest sense of deja vu. His mother smiling as he figured out whatever grimmsnarl tangle she threw him into without warning. Raihan 'sneaking' into his room unnecessarily early on the days Piers knew he was going to visit.  _ It's more fun this way _ , he remembered hearing at seven in the morning too many times over the years before cold feet woke him fully and the guilty party fell back asleep. No one in his family pitied him when he grumbled and groused and surprised them with breakfast. Marnie had always liked when Raihan showed up early because it meant a full breakfast rather than toast and cereal. He doubted he'd get a decent breakfast tomorrow.

"Oh, nice, now I don't have to worry! Fleur, pop in." The dragalge made an unimpressed snorting noise that he agreed with before going into the net ball. Her arm moving was his only warning before she tossed the ball at him. "You can take this to Kell! They're showering off at the beach shack."

"Like hell I am. I just got sexiled. All I want is a beer and something to sleep on. Kell offered."

"And you can get exactly everything they promised you while joining Kell in sexile. Or wait for them to come back, see the kerchief and then you get hauled away over their shoulder faster than a mega pidgeot. Your choice." As things sat he didn't want to argue it was the sailboat Kell promised, not sleeping whereverthefuck Kell was bedding down for the night because of what was going to happen on board. She smiled at him like she wanted him to choose the latter just to watch him get hauled off like a sack of potatoes. He knew she could do it to Kell and he didn't doubt Kell could and would do it to him to save them both from the dreadful white handkerchief.

Fuck.

Luckily for him Kell had a backpack that easily slipped over his shoulders and now he hurried away not needing another potential visual in his head. It wasn't a full moon or he'd accuse everyone of being rabid lycanroc. Kell was in fact at the nearby beach shack, out of the shower and brushing out their stupidly long hair. He wanted a picture so any time someone complained about his hair he could show  _ theirs _ . That would shut people up. It wasn't just the seagrass they were nicknamed, but also the climbing ivy that acted as a second outer layer to Gloria's house. That was hair to be afraid of. That night and nearly every morning afterwards invading Nanu's for breakfast must have cleared out the rest of their weird twitchy attitude from the battle because they offered a smile like before and waved an elbow as they kept brushing their hair. Or maybe they didn't have Neri saying things in Kalosian nonstop during the breakfast invasions, that while personally never present for, his old man informed him of in crisp detail whether or not he wanted it. Grimsley even went so far to complain to him that Nanu refused to translate the Kalosian for him. He still didn't know how both Kell and Neri's contact information ended up in his phone. It feigned innocence when he asked since Nanu and his father were useless for information.

"Small island, huh?" Their in-joke because all of the islands were comparatively small and they always ran into each other no matter their circumstances. At this point, he expected to run into Kell somewhere, somehow here. Like finding a jewelry store or music venue in Spikemuth, they were always— no.

"Too small. Sexiled twice in one night." It was some comfort that they winced hearing that.

"That would explain you wearing my pack."

"And carrying your dragalge."

"Ugh. I bet she was so smug putting up the kerchief."

They shuffled around once they tossed clothes over their swimsuit, Kell tucking their pokemon into the kangaskhan pocket of their bright hoodie before taking their pack then trying to carry the beers that he staunchly didn't want them to carry for him. It was his currency and as much as he didn't want to lug it wherever Kell was going he knew better than to pay before terms were agreed to. They idly bickered over bands as they headed out of the city until Kell simply pulled two beers from the pack and opening them, offered him one. The case lightened.

"Not like we weren't going to drink it. Without Neri we get extras. Nothing better than camping and a good drink."

He couldn't argue with their logic and by the time they stopped at the assumed campsite, just two trees and an overlook that terraced down into a small cove, a convenient path switchbacking to the pebbled beach, they had finished their first two beers, coming to unspoken terms and signing it with the sound of the second bottles opening. Falling into a habit from camping with Raihan, as Kell set about setting up the tent, he went and found rocks and sticks for a fire pit and campfire. Sometime in the search for deadfall and twigs, Gene and Paul helpfully collecting rocks, he realized what he was doing and almost tossed it all over a cliffside on principle — he wasn't camping with Raihan; he was stuck having to camp because he was sexiled twice in an hour with someone he didn't quite know where they fit in his very small circle — except he heard Kell swear and then he was hurrying back to find them staring at the tent.

The tent that was strung between the two trees and definitely not an actual tent, but a camping hammock. That kind of changed things.

"It's fine. I can head back into town and—"

"Like hell. The hotel never has a vacancy and what will you do, fly to the police station and sleep there? It's a double, so just sit your cute ass down and set up the fire so I can reheat the soup," they actually growled. None of their pokemon out thought it was a concern, all amusing themselves by playing with a large inflatable beach ball that showed up while he was gone. He let the rest of his team out to play as well, unconcerned with the teams meshing. Hydreigon, utterly smitten with them, grumbled at the other pokemon and settled away from the others but close to Piers and Kell, watching them.

"So now I have a cute ass," he smirked. He'd be damned if they knew occasionally their casual affection and easy flirtation actually worked, leaving him feeling warm and wanting to smile at them, sometimes wanting one of their rare smiles from lunch with wine back. Being on the offensive was better than defense. Years of keeping Spikemuth afloat taught him that. Here he had means and leverage to do so and wouldn't ignore the opportunity.

They offered him a flat stare that still managed to be sassy as they told him, "It was either cute or skinny and I figured you'd prefer the flattery."

He snickered, curling inward over the deadfall. Yeah the deadpan, snarky liepard was back. He set up the fire pit before opening them another beer and asked, "Do I have to trade my body for a place in the hammock or is beer enough?

The splutter and pink ears was worth it but then they regrouped, all sharp obstagoon teeth. "Nah, we're ace and if anyone has the warmth for that bargain it's me. You've got nothing I need. You  _ can _ buy your way into my bed with a song and my promised share of the beer. I like those."

"Lucky me I have a guitar, beer, and know what sort of music you like."

That night, they listened as they updated a notebook with their phone watching from its perch on their shoulder and providing light. Ranger logs, they explained and they ate the soup Kell made yesterday which was more if stew and porridge had a lovechild bred to be specifically calorie dense. They had a kettle of hot water and bouillon cubes for thinning out the soup or to drink in the other sturdy but light enamel mugs that insulated well. Still damn good and for once he didn't actually have to cook when camping. It was refreshingly novel. Leftovers went into the large collapsible bowl for their pokemon to enjoy with the tin of homemade biscuits Kell pulled to feed their pokemon. He had his first poffin then; it was good and somehow worked with the beer. Whatever was in them was enough that even the massive aurorus didn't need too many even though the area offered shit grazing without stripping every palm on their outlook. When the beer ran out and the fire was low enough to not be a worry, it was time to call it a night. They made him get into the hammock first, holding it steady before taking his flip flops and hanging them on a carabiner within reach just outside the netting. Then they slid in and did the same. It was surprisingly comfortable, Kell pulling lightweight but warm blankets from the foot of the hammock and covering them. The wind had enough of an edge from the mountain that it was needed. For the longest time, they just laid side by side, staring up at the stars. It was so simple,  _ easy  _ to be like this and he didn't feel the need to test the edges like it was quicksand. They were a line of warmth against his side, not expecting anything of him other than that he slept.

"You get sexiled often?" he asked quietly. As if he was going to wake someone. There was no one around and the stars above. The lights of Malie City were out and their pokemon were all in their balls for the night. Literally no reason to be quiet for and yet. They were equally quiet answering.

"I try not to count. I'm just happy she can get the company. Neri won't date seriously since we travel and dating long distance is damn near impossible even with our tech. It's not like we have a scheduled port of call to 'come home' to. Starstone is our anchor point, not a place. Someone should get lucky, since no one wants to date someone ace even for a fling. To make up for every time she sexiles me from Starstone, I get my own night to myself."

"I'm sure the orgies are great," he deadpanned as they started to trace a constellation for him through the bug netting. Their snort skewed the constellation they were trying to show him and he shoved them to get the hammock to still. Hell, they were dense like their cooking. Like Raihan, their lankiness belying real strength from hard work. Like the miners he watched as a kid except noodly like the swimmers. No wonder Neri wanted him to wait. The bitch.

"Oh yeah. Just me and almost a terabyte of music blasting over the on ship PA."

"Even at lossless formatting my discography isn't that big." He rolled to face them. The hammock's balance barely shifted, their weight keeping them steady. "You cheating on me?"

" _ You _ called it an orgy," they pointed out, turning their head and pulling on his bangs lightly. Because it was Kell he didn't growl or even snap teeth at those fingers. After all of their run ins and the night on the porch with them so close, he didn't mind it. They were ace and safe to make jokes with, knowing they never expected him to act on their content. That was why he— no. "Don't worry, you're still my favorite and Starstone knows it. Half the time it's your voice on the PA."

"Good to know even your sailboat has great taste."

Kell showed him how to recognize the difference between a satellite and a rayquaza streaking the night sky. Then somehow fell into tracing constellations, telling each one's story, some he'd never heard, being from a group of people called Dragon People. Apparently their best friend Ren was the one mentioned when they first talked dragons, and though her family was one of the guardians of Hoenn's Meteor Falls she wasn't a dragon trainer. Surprising to most, Dragon People weren't; they got their name from the legendary dragons their tribes followed and the dragon species they protected. Other stories were from Kanto, Johto, Orre, a few that Kell claimed they couldn't actually tell in any way he understood because it would be only in an old dialect of Kalosian that never translated properly and he didn't even speak the modern one. Nonetheless, he jabbed a bony knee into their muscular thigh and they told him anyways. The language sounded faintly musical, but then again Kalosian always had even before he had two fluent speakers in easy earshot. The gist, Kell explained, was Kalos' trio sang Life and Death together simultaneously, with Order arranging the song so neither overcame the other, allowing itself to become more than itself: Balance. A trinary star they gestured at in the nebula known as Arceus' Cradle represented those three.

"There's stars in there without names but I bet the number is the same as legendary and mythical species," Kell said with surety. "A nebula is where stars are born. Just like legendaries."

Piers had to blink to see the actual stars rather than be starstruck by their words.

"You're gonna just gloss o'er your trio bein' singers."

"There's song in everything, Piers. It's language, from wailord to combee to the sound of wind and water playing with more static nature like grass and stone. I figured you of all people would notice." They spoke like it was as obvious as wine with lunch without a drop of reproach, just that wonder that slipped in when they talked about pokemon or gave an impromptu berry lesson to hikers who dabbled in foraging.

He hadn't. Not truly. For him music was the pulsing heart of Spikemuth, the voices of its inhabitants, the riot of neon colors under the polarized domes. It was the sounds sableyes made as they sounded out stone and ore veins for miners back when Spikemuth had been larger and its ancient mines protected, well,  _ Nat _ . But as a rule, he didn't throw himself into the wilderness for the sheer joy of it like them. Two weeks every summer with Raihan were enough, thank you very much. In the end, he could only shrug. Kell didn't take offense, simply gripped a bony wrist and lifted it so he could share what he knew. If he was hungry for music, they were hungry for the natural world.

He recognized a few himself and pointed out what Galar saw as constellations. They listened avidly, head tipped onto his shoulder so they could see exactly what he was pointing at. Different constellations, different stories, but no matter the region it was the same stars.

"Definitely need to take you out on the open ocean," they breathed as he felt their jaw moving against his shoulder. "The stars are even better when there's no lights other than what's in the sky. Sail out to a becalmed spot and it's like you're sailing through them. Hey, look, it's Arceus' Mane." It was late enough the dense band of stars that got its name bisected the sky, like a clock reminding them of the hour. It was enough that they pulled the blankets up to their chins, murmured half conversations dying like embers as even he felt sleep pulling at him, Kell's greater mass having him tip into their side where it was in fact warmer.

The moment he groaned from the sun waking him as it crept over the horizon, the body that he had draped across like a salandit on a warm rock in the night tucked his head lower. The arm around his shoulders curled higher so its hand could cover his eyes and the warm body rolled so it blocked out the morning sun perfectly. A familiar voice muttered something about sleeping in because a flower wouldn't leave for hours yet. It sounded great so he listened and fell asleep again burrowed in silky warmth. The next time he woke he found himself alone, Kell outside the bug netting, heating water over a fresh fire and reaching into their pack, some of their pokemon stretching and exploring the camping spot. Paul snored under the hammock as he heard Gene protest malamar splashing down in the cove. Kell's pachirisu with his unpronounceable name chittered laughter at them both from atop a tree, far from the water. A delphox spruced Kell's trevenant Ella with her stick even though he remembered Neri having her in their battle. Just as he realized his brain punned him, Kell spoke up.

"Tea good for you? It's all I have packed for hot drinks. Next time we camp, call in advance and you can have instant coffee instead. I'll even spring for a bottle of milk, just for you. Hotel Kellihr aims for only five star reviews." 

That was exactly why he liked them. Then as they pulled out a box of eggs and began peeling potatoes to go into a skillet, he liked them even more. There was nothing in him silencing that.

* * *

After over two weeks of running into Kell across Alola, he should expect to stumble across them haltering mudbray, hip checking the more grumbly ones that tried to use them as a leaning or scratching post, except it felt like every time he saw them now he was set off kilter. They were a Ranger, which neither Galar or Alola had but he knew what they did after Neri sat him down over beers on the Starstone and explained their career. They got called to do all sorts of things like bribe his territorial hydreigon to let go of his hair for sour pokeblocks, two for each head. They played with deino, helping them sharpen their ears and sense of smell on Tuesdays. They watered fomantids before encouraging them to find a dappled area so the Alolan sun didn't burn their young petals. If a place wasn't found they let the flower mantid pokemon hide in their hair until the sun shifted enough they could scamper away, not a single hair pulled or cut. They threw beans for flying types to catch and eat for the simple joy that they weren't eating the crap humans threw at them. They issued fines for misconduct in wild areas and gleefully punched Team Skull grunts and poachers out to haul off for Nanu to deal with, leaving them on his home doorstep like the worst persian ever. Brought home the occasional kid or fed a hungry backpacker who didn't plan their meals right. Captain duties but for every island, not just one area. That was normal for them and Neri: living amongst wild pokemon and dealing with the humans that shared the environment, for good or bad.

What he didn't see in person or hear from Nanu who was oddly interested in their duties, he saw when checking one or both of the 'gram accounts, Kell's being more personal and less Ranger-y. Theirs was a lot of pictures of their pokemon or them filthy and clearly happy to care for wild pokemon despite their seeming indifferent expression. But he knew — didn't know how or when he knew, but he did and couldn't unknow it — because it was those steelix blue eyes that told him exactly how they felt. He knew Neri had one but didn't care enough to follow hers, just checking it if Kell was mentioned in a post. He barely used his own account as it was; it existed more for him to follow Raihan, Marnie, a few gym leaders and others in his industry. They and Neri never seemed to be bothered by the random wild pokemon that decided to follow them, even used it as a teaching moment on the shared Ranger account. Meanwhile he still wasn't used to the seeming permanent followers he gained no matter which island he visited. Nanu' endless parade of persians and the rattata underfoot warned him it might happen but getting a warning and it happening were different. It was tough since he could feel hydreigon rattle angrily in his ball when he gained a shadow. If he were honest he watched a couple of the Ranger account videos to figure out how to shake off his pokemon fans. But he was content in his thin self deception.

As usual, Kell was dirty, this time it was a streak of mud across their face like they rubbed their nose with a muddy forearm and smeared it everywhere. At least their hair was in a complicated braid that made their hair shorter than its true length, meaning it wasn't a risk for the stomping mudbray as they checked hooves. He was content to smoke as he watched, realizing watching them work was like watching Spikemuth go about its day, watching Marnie take on challengers during Challenge season, watching itty bitty Gloria put the fear of Nat into Team Yell and visitor alike with a smile, Nat not actually used for those intimidations. Usually the dragon was sleeping on top of Spikemuth to soak in the heat the dark roofs absorbed; ironic since it spent thousands of years sleeping  _ under _ Spikemuth. It was all in reputation, attitude, and security derived from doing something they loved. Once the mudbray were all haltered and tied to a tree they looked up and their face brightened, cracking the dried mud where their face actually moved.

"Hey. What are you doing out here?" They were never suspicious, always happy to see him and he returned the smile, genuinely happy to see them as well. It had nothing with them being a fan. That's just what you did when you had a fr— a person that wasn't Raihan even if they could sass back as good as they got.

"Trying to lose a shadow," he answered, gesturing to the absol behind him.

Kell's jaw dropped, utterly awestruck. It stung, strangely enough. They hadn't even reacted like that when they realized who he was. "They are so rare. May I?"

He shrugged and they knelt a few feet away from him and the absol. "Hello, beautiful. You met yourself a good friend." The absol sang back her opinion to Kell, happily nuzzling his leg.

That had him fiddling with his choker, looking away from the two. They couldn't see his blush from being called a good friend. "Not a friend. She's been following me for days since I stumbled across her and I can't take every pokemon that follows me home."

Slowly without even bribing the absol, they got closer to examine their horn and claws before letting her nuzzle their hand. "She's strong and healthy. It's bullshit her species gets such a bad rap. You'd think a living natural disaster warning system would be something welcome, but no. I used to fall asleep to their songs as a kid. Never even a nightmare no matter what people say about them."

"Dark isn't evil, it's resilient," he said in reflex to the wistful adoration in their voice, like his mother's adage would get that gently hurt tone out of their voice. It did but not how he expected except he should have, he knew— no.

"There is no such thing as an evil pokemon, not truly, no matter their type. The ones who make them evil are humans." Their lips pulled back into a snarl and the absol instinctively knew, just like after following him, the snarl wasn't for her, moving forward in effort to soothe the anger, much like how their trevenant was quick to comfort them. He watched as they quickly hid that temper and returned to talking to the absol, mouth now friendly as a smile shaped them into something softer. Then again, they might love his music, but they loved pokemon even more. He knew how all-encompassing loves worked after knowing Raihan all these years. Hell, music was his own love. More than being a trainer or a Gym Leader. The only thing that could compete was his love for Marnie.

"Sweetheart, you can't stay with him. You need to find someone else that can take you on. He's got a triple terror on his hands as it is," they added conspiratorially as if he couldn't hear them whispering behind one hand at his feet.

They weren't Marnie. Not a small, spoiled little sister who wanted a pokemon that wasn't a zigzagoon. Rather the opposite. They befriended pokemon and while their pokedex was extensive they didn't keep the pokemon, didn't even catch them unless absolutely necessary. They had a styler that soothed upset pokemon when simple methods didn't work and pokeballs — always luxury balls — when they needed more than their styler. Then when things were handled a smile and shooing clap returned pokemon to nature, whether caught or soothed. Except seeing how the absol edged closer to them barely in contact with him he knew who could take her on. Knew who would understand his sweet shadow.

"What about you?" Already offering them a dusk ball before they managed to tear their eyes from the absol and look up at him. "She seems to like you and I can't think of anyone else who would love her the way she needs."

Those silvery-blue eyes wide and staring at him a second too long, they swallowed hard and took the ball. It was the only attention he got before they returned to the absol. "Well, beautiful. Would you like to come along with me?"

Kell didn't even have a chance to toss it, the absol nosed the ball herself and Piers and Kell watched the ball critical catch in their hand. Kell's head tipped forward, hair hiding this small moment.

"Thank you for trusting me," he heard them whisper to the absol.

Yeah, he made the right decision and couldn't help but chuckle, mouth wide in a smile. Now they actually had a dark type, another point for them. That alone had them sitting at a hard third in his favorite people and that was pretty impressive since he wasn't close to many beyond Marnie and Raihan. He had never even wanted to be close to someone to that degree outside family. Instead of saying something stupid like inviting them come watch him challenge the Battle Tree in a week, he asked, "Are you going to name her? You name everyone you've kept."

Nothing but mischief painted their crescent smile as they tossed the ball out. "Come on out, Pandora!"

Pandora sang, tossing her pelt in the luxuriating smugness of belonging and immediately cuddled into Kell's legs as they pet her, already squatting on the ground to welcome the newest member of their team. When he returned from a smoke break so as to not disturb the mutual preening session that started almost immediately, they had stopped and were digging into the backpack they always seemed to wear when on landbound Ranger work. They pulled out what looked like a marble from a box of them. It hummed and Pandora's eyes glowed.

"I thought I had one! Well pretty girl, would you like to?" Pandora sang happily and Kell was digging out a silicone band that fit around one of Pandora's legs with the stone in it. Shrugging off their jacket, Piers noticed the stone in the armband that both they and Neri wore glowed. "Ever see a mega absol?"

Right. They were Kalosian. Mega evolution was literally in their blood. It was how they opened their battle, shameless and showy and utterly dominating. He shook his head and Kell and Pandora made a strangely creepy chuckle, like they had just psychically formed their own Nasty Plot.

"Looks like it's your lucky day. Pandora— oh shit!" In their preoccupation with him and Pandora, the mudbray managed to free themselves and as a herd, ran off. They offered a lopsided smile to Pandora. "Guess you have your first job pretty baby. You ready to herd up some mudbray?"

Pandora pointedly looked back at Piers like it was his fault and he shook his head, surrendering. "Yeah, I'm coming, Pandora."

It took them hours to retrieve and return the mudbray, so long the sun was setting. With a finger to their lips, Kell led him further into the woods where there was nothing but shadows surrounding them, his hand in theirs and Pandora singing, utterly pleased with herself.

"I believe I owe you something," Kell whispered as they stood secrets-close, a trouble smile and moonbeam eyes tipped down past him. He was tired and filthy so he didn't quite get it until they breathed gleefully, "Pandora, mega evolve."

Huh. Lucky day indeed.

"You're glowing," Neri accused lovingly as Kell came into their campsite. Utterly exhausted, Kell dropped their pack and threw themself face first into their twin's lap.

"Mudbray," they said. It was enough for Neri to understand and coo as she began to crumble hardened mud out of Kell's hair. They would tackle the braid as a team in the morning. "And Piers."

"Now I know the reason for the glow. Another private concert?" Kell flipped her leering tone off. "Spill, sib, or I call Grims for the gossip."

Spilling involved the hand not flipping Neri the pidgey offering a dusk ball. "Pandora. Meet my sister. Sometimes we swap teammates so get to know her. She's not that bad." They got a knee jostled into their chest for that.

Out came Pandora and Kell rolled onto their back to watch Neri's jaw drop before her face lit up. Pandora and Neri froze at the same moment, the former in fear of the stranger, the latter to not make a single move to scare the former. A few encouraging words from Kell had her sing a note and relax. Then Neri was reaching to pet Pandora full of praise and admiration as Kell bragged from where they lay about Pandora herding the mudbray easily, quickly understanding the whistles, calls, and hand signals they used to command their pokemon from a distance. Piers doggedly keeping up and helping while grousing the entire way. Somewhere in the story Pandora simply laid on top of Kell. It made them immediately yawn.

"No. No sleeping where you fall," Neri jostled her knees and prodded a protesting Pandora. "You know the rule."

"Only at home."

"Where's home?"

"Starstone, Ruru, the cottage. Herb's farm. Ren's secret base. Nanu's."

That got Kell's nose trapped between unforgiving fingers. "Now you're being an asshole."

"Can't help it, it's genetic," they deadpanned before setting twin full moons on Neri's sun-bright eyes. There was the bright eyed adventurer who dragged Neri and Ren everywhere Star, Stone, and Hecate keeping pace so they weren't going anywhere alone. Interesting that Piers brought that out in them. But who ever anticipates meeting a favorite artist? It was like a fairy tale. "He never saw a mega evolved absol until today. Pandora didn't just do it for me, she wanted to give him magic that he'd never forget."

Neri stroked her sibling's hair, that curl of warmth and rightness she felt getting his phone to accept their contact information becoming brighter and filling her chest. Piers — his music, not the man, but that was a lucky break — was something Kell always wanted and now her meddling would keep her twin smiling even as they yawned. Some poking and prodding got them both up and Kell to hang their shorts to air in the dome of their tent before they vanished into their sleeping bag. The sound of faint snoring came out of the bright yellow bundle the moment they were horizontal.

Neri watched as Lodestar and Pandora circled each other, gauging and sniffing as Lodestone took Kell's place sprawled across Neri's lap more interested in her scratching behind its ears. After all, it was two apex predators having to share territory. It happened often enough with the pokemon who end up coming along with them. Lodestone would abide by their other half's decision. Hecate, Ren's delphox watched just in case she needed to smack them, much like her trainer's habit when watching the twins toeing the line between posturing and something more combative. Instead, the two pokemon, one herald of natural disasters, the other a shard of the order and balance of the natural world from their home soil, laid across the true agent of chaos in their own separated trio. Smiling, Neri finished closing camp for the night and crawled into her own sleeping bag wondering how she could engineer more chances for Kell and Piers to hang out beyond happenstance. If this was a fairy tale, it needed a meddling fairy godsister.

"Hey Tom? Remind me to message Grims tomorrow," she told her phone. It chirped a cheerful affirmative. After all, it was the one who cajoled Piers' phone and Roro to share information.

* * *

"How the hell am I supposed to get to the Battle Tree if you two say I can't fly hydreigon there?" Piers drawled at his dad and Nanu, doing a good job of not getting angry. They were at a burger joint with Kell and Neri and Neri had that look in her eye that if he did blow up she'd make him scrub the deck of the Starstone even if he wasn't a Ranger. She also wasn't looking at his father when they spoke which meant there was a trap in this as well. Woman was more tricksy than a stunfisk. If she stole a proper pink shirt from Kell she'd pass for a morgrem. Kell was the smart one, waiting in line for their massive order or he'd be safer from any mischief. Not that they didn't have their moments of butt-fuck insane, the most recent being teaching the local kids how to cliff dive. Any parents coming to him thinking he would, as substitute Kahuna, stop them they got a surprise when he shrugged and told them it was better they learned properly from experts. After all, no one balked at Rangers Nerideth and Kellihr introducing small children to some of the more dangerous Ride pokemon. Every child able to swim in the region probably swam with sharpedoes under those two's supervision. Then there were the tauros lessons. Leaping off a cliff into deep water was nothing. Especially since the parents missed the twins making the kids learn how to gauge water depth and safety of the water they were about to throw themselves into. Then Neri went to pick berries while Kell shoved kids off a cliff into deep water with both Fleur and Atlantis on guard in their element. At least the water was actually warm. Cliff diving in Circhester Bay in the height of summer was still ball shriveling cold. The Hulbury side of Spikemuth was little better.

He only saw the whole process because he was sunbathing and overheard kids chattering about cliff diving. Following and watching was funny, especially as he stared over the edge of his sunglasses every time a parent bothered him and took his attention away from— no.

"We're going to watch after doing the Poni Island Challenges. He can come with us."

"That is a wonderful idea, Nerideth." His dad made a point to call the twins by their full names. His defense was his self-proclaimed fear of the twins' mother which got Grimsley triple unimpressed stares. Piers just rolled his eyes at the excuse because in his head their mother might be equal to his and Grimsley never actually feared her. "You can sail with Kellihr and Nerideth."

"You won't get seasick. Starstone is a steady ship." A begrudging pause before Nanu added, "Seaweed and Seagrass are great sailors."

"See? You go sail with Kellihr and Nerideth to Poni. Keep them company as they go on their last Challenges."

That was when Kell walked up with the burgers on a tray, eyes distrustful slits on everyone but Piers. "Who is sailing with Neri an' I?"

"Piers since you two are already coming to the Battle Tree as observers after you finish your Challenges. He is challenging the Tree this month."

Kell shrugged and let them have the tray, sliding next to Neri. Offering a lopsided half smile at Piers, they shrugged again. "As long as you pull your weight and don't puke everywhere you're welcome. We have extra beds."

For some reason Neri laughed around her burger at that.

"Neri's room is there," they gestured at a room with an N nailed into it. They pointed to another door with an R. "Ren's is there, no one sleeps there except when she's here. Head's right there. Shower has hot water otherwise there's the deck shower. Mine is there, and you're sleeping in the living room." They gestured to the space mostly walled off next to Neri's room and wasn't the bow of the boat lit with UV lamps and filled with berry trees growing in pots in the open space that probably was originally designed as a living room by the huge window panels. This sailboat was clearly built for more than three people to live on, let alone crew. The galley actually looked like a kitchen you'd find in someone's home. Free of substitute Kahuna duties, he eagerly accepted the longstanding offer to stay and came aboard a few days early.

"Yeah, about that," Neri called down. "Hermes and Iris nested on the cushion for the pull out so it went up in flames and Princess tore it up what was left. He can't sleep in there unless he wants the floor. He's small but not small enough for our armchairs."

"He can use a cot." Kell argued back up the stairs, frowning but accepting Neri's word.

"I am not unpacking that from the lower deck. Are you?"

"Then where are we going to put him? In the greenhouse with a hammock? He's a  _ guest _ , Nerideth."

Piers was about to open his mouth to snap out that he was in fact present for this conversation and he gave zero fucks as long as he had somewhere to sleep.

"Why not your room? You have the biggest bed and Pandora would love to sleep between her favorite people."

Their eyes met and Piers watched Kell take a deep breath before asking him, eyes strangely focused on him. "Are you good with that?" asking as if he was a skittish vulpix about to bolt.

He snorted and opened the door to their room and tossed in his duffel. "As if we haven't slept together before."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There is a Kingdom Hearts reference in this. Ten internet cookies to the one who finds it.


End file.
